Is recruiting and retention really an issue?

[star1151]

Also, some members may not want to do the same type of job that they do in their normal lives.  They may be volunteering to do something different for a break from that.

Maybe I'm strange, but I'd like to do the same thing.  No, I don't instruct for a living, but if I didn't want to volunteer skills I already have, I'd be looking for some other kind of volunteer work.

I operate on the idea that CAP works best when there are more folks.  To retain in simple...

1) Don't let people wallow in Inactivity

How do you do that when there are so many people there's just not enough work to go around?

[Major Carrales]

How do you do that when there are so many people there's just not enough work to go around?

Frankly, a unit can never reach that point.  The goal of the unit is not too turn into a bureaucratic mess...but rather to accomplish the missions of CAP.  If there are too numerous persons, you need to go over to shift scheduling. 

Too many units have the same three guys answering ELTs at 0200 hrs...if you end of with 15 to 20 people, you divide them up into shifts to allow them to avoid burn out.  It is a problem I don't mind having.

All I know is that if you want have an effective unit you have to be prepared to "maintain" your unit.  That means having a full staff.  The better issue revolves around the question "How many units out there have one squadron commander doing it all (or most) on a collision course with burnout?"

Thus, we have reached the formula...

less people= burnout
More people= less burnout

I have never been to or heard of a unit where there are "too many CAP Officers."  Unless that unit was one of those "exclusive flying club" units that find more people a THREAT to the fiefdom.  It is universally accepted that such units are not in the spirit of CAP.

[LittleIronPilot]

6) take CAP more seriously...believe that what we are doing has inherent value, not a thing to be scorned.

This one I LOVE! Even on this forum I see our own sneer a bit at CAP. As if being a "volunteer" organization makes it less professional, or less important.

[davedove]

Also, some members may not want to do the same type of job that they do in their normal lives.  They may be volunteering to do something different for a break from that.

Maybe I'm strange, but I'd like to do the same thing.  No, I don't instruct for a living, but if I didn't want to volunteer skills I already have, I'd be looking for some other kind of volunteer work.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Some people do the same thing for CAP that they do in their paying jobs.  But a member shouldn't be limited to that, or forced into it if they don't want to.

[wingnut]

Don't be afraid to discuss the "TAX" advantages of being in CAP, for example; If the prospective member is a transport pilot and wants to work on becoming a mission pilot they can deduct the cost Of "Training " (flight time rental, instructor costs' to become a mission pilot. the same is true for a pilot needing to become an instrument rated pilot

Any experts out there on use of private vehicles,buying a radio for CAP etc. the tax advantages can be a "big "incentive for someone to join.